Standing My Ground - Matthew Hayden

Standing My Ground - Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden is one of the finest players of Australia’s all-conquering Test cricket side of the last decade, and this is his outspoken and revealing life story.

Matthew Hayden is one of the most commanding batsmen the game has ever seen – and one of the great enigmas. A devout Catholic and a ruthless on-field sledger. A brutal enforcer, and a soft-hearted family man. The Australian record-holder for highest score in Tests and One Day Internationals, who was at times troubled by self-doubt and doubters.

In Standing My Ground Hayden confronts these contradictions head-on. He talks frankly about the forces that shaped his journey from fringe international to a giant of the game. He dissects Australia’s tactic of verbal warfare and his own role as a key aggressor, taking us on a privileged tour inside the sporting machine that dominated all corners in a golden age of Australian cricket.

This isn’t a predictable ball-by-ball account of a stellar career. Instead Hayden, delivers a characteristically direct assessment of the matches and the people that mattered most. He pays homage to great role models like Allan Border and explains his deep connection to controversial Andrew Symonds, but also reveals colourful clashes along the way. He opens up on umpires, the media, superstitions, team mates and opponents with disarming honesty and humour

AUTHOR DETAILS

Matthew Hayden previously played for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. He is CEO of his own company The Hayden Way, and ambassador for various charitable organisations. He has maintained his connection to cricket by becoming the youngest ever elected board member for both Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket, with portfolios for Females in Cricket and Indiginous Cricket. He has quickly made a name for himself as a trenchant and articulate summariser on British TV cricket coverage. He lives in Brisbane with his wife, Kellie, and their three children.